Leader of Gloucester City Council Paul James vowed to investigate the incident, saying: “Clearly it is not the kind of material that we want to be distributed in the city and we will be looking at whether the distributor is allowed to participate again.”

Robin Agascar MBE, who is a member of LGBT voluntary organisation GAY-GLOS, said: “People are allowed to have their say but the carnival was not the place.

“The statistics it quotes about suicides is because of people like this who make their lives hell.”

John Huggins, owner of LGBT bar The Westgate, said: “It is absolutely ridiculous that there is this level of hatred and ignorance in Britain in the 21st century.”